Foot-operated elevator.



W/ T/VESS R. LABORDA.

FOOT OPERATED ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1914.

1,1 1 0,4 99, Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

HIS HTTX THE NORRIS PETERS 50., PHOTO-LITHQ: WASHINGTON. D. C,

R. LABORDA.

FOOT OPERATED ELEVATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 1914.

1,1 10,499, Patented Sept. 15, '1914.

2 SHEETSBHEET 8.

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RICHARD LABORDA, OF SAN FRANCISCU, GALIFOBNIA, ASSIGNOB' OF ONE-HALF '10 PETER CUELLAS, OF SAN FRAINTCISCQCALIFORNIA.

FOOT-OPERATED ELEVATOR.

1,11o,ae9.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

' Patented Sept. 15, 1914;.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RICHARD LABORDA, a subject of the King of Spain, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California,have invented a new and useful Improvement in Foot-Operated Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to foot operated elevators wherein a tubular member is provided with a climbing wheel arranged to be operated by the feet of the operator for the purpose of elevating the device and is particularly adapted to be used for a fire escape in rescuing persons from upper stories of burning buildings, and the objects of my invention are first, to provide improved means for ascending a rope; second, to provide improved means fer preventing an involuntary descent of the device; and third, to provide improved means for regulating or controlling the descent of the device. I accomplish these several features by means of the.de-' vice disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present specification, wherein like characters of reference designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device attached to a rope and ready for climbing.

. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3

is anenlarged broken sectional view of the climbing wheel disclosing the manner in which the same is rotatably mounted within the frame and connected to the operating or driving shaft when the said driving shaft is rotated'in a forward direction. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but disclosing the position of the several parts when the driving shaft is being rotated in a reverse direction.

The present state of the art discloses devices for shooting or projecting ropes to persons imperiled in burning buildings by reason of the stair cases and other usual means of egress having been 'cut off. The'present invention has to do with means for ascending the rope so projected for the purpose of rescuing imperiled-persons from the upper stories of burning buildings. .The device may be carried by the firedepartment as apparatus or; installedii'atf convenient places within tall buildingsto be used ,byjpe'rsons unable to:.descend the usual stairways. The device .may :also be vused by workmen 'inas? cencling; and. descending.,fromit all buildings pr other structures in the course of construc- 1on.' I r Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 s used to designate a tubular member havmg an open frame portion formed of the vertically disposed parallel members 2. The. members 2' have integral recessed hubs 3 and 3. Within the hubs 3 and 3 is rotatably mounted the drive shaft 4 which is provided with a suitable clutch member 5 having quadruple square male threads thereon. The threads 6 are arranged to engage female threads 7 within the hub 3. The shaft 4 is also provided with anannular collar 8. A clutch sleeve 9 is rigidly secured within the hub of the wheel 10, the said sleeve 9 being rotatably mounted upon the shaft 4 and betweenthe clutch 5 and the collar 8 thereon. A suitable spring 14 is interposed between the outer wall of the recess in the hub 3 and the collar 8 on the shaft 4 forthe purpose of causing a longitudinal movement of the shaft 4 and the threads 6 to engage the threads 7 of the hub 3 when the shaft 4 is rotated in a reverse direction. 7

The'wheel 1O isprovided with the teeth 15 which are engaged by the pawl 16, pivotally secured to one of the members 2, for the purpose of preventing the wheel 10 from inadvertently rotating in, a reverse direction. A suitable cord 17 has the lower end thereof secured tov the free end of the pawl 16'while the upperend of the said cord 17 issecured near the top of the tubular member 1 so as to be within; convenient reach of the operator. The tubular member 1 is providedwith two ormore seats 18, one for the operator and the other for a 'passengerduring the descent. The shaft 4 is provided at each end with the cranks 20 which are in turn provided at the outer ends thereof with the rotatable pedals 22 A rope 23passes through the tubular member 1 and after passing over a pulley 24, rotatably mounted of thev ranks 20 andpedals 22 thereon, in

a forward direction the said driving shaft 4engages and-rotates the. wheel-1O and every revolution ofe the saidl wheel 10- elevates the device a-i-distanee equal' to the circumference of; the wheel. 10 niilthe rope' 23 thefolthe wheel 10 andthe device to which the said lowing manner. For purposes of illustraof sufiiciently secured to'p'rovide' the necessary friction on the climbing wheel 10, By

rotating the driving shaft 4 in aforward direction,=or away" from the observer, re:

ier'ring to Fig. 3 of the drawings, the male threads Gengagingthe female; threads 7 of the recessed hub 3' will cause the said shaft 4 to move longitudinally to theright and therefore the collar 8 on the said shaft will com-press the spring 14. Simultaneously, there'being' the same number of threads 6 as there areteeth on. the clutch 5, the said clutch 5 will engage the teeth of the clutch sleeve 9, which is rigidly secured within the hub of the wheel 10, and cause the said sleeve 9 and wheel 10 to also rotate" in a forward direction;

When the teeth of the clutch 5 fully engage the teeth of the clutch sleeve- 9, the threads 6 are beyond the threads 7 of the hub 3, as shown'in 30f the drawings, so that the shaft 4 and clutch 5 thereon may continue toirotate in a forwardldirection Without being further affected by (the said threads 7, As the rope passes around the wheel 10 it is evident that the said wheel practically rests within a loop within the said rope23. Consequently, as the wheel 10 rotates it will have the same efiect as if it were winding up the rope 23 and will elevate wheellO is secured, The pawl 16 is pivotally secured to one of the members 2 and is ar-' ranged to engage the teeth 15011 the wheel 10 se that should the operator inadvertently oraccidentally remove his feet from the pedals, the pawl 16 will engage the teeth 15 of the said wheel 10 and prevent the descent 9f the device r I When the operator has ascended to the desired heightfhas taken a. passenger on the other seat 18 and wishes to descend, the descent may be accomplished and the speed thereof controlled as follows. {[he load beborne by the pawl 16 which engages one of: the teeth 15 on the wheel 10, the operator may easilyoperate the'shaft 4 in a reverse direction by means of the crank 20 and pedals 22 thereon. As the shaft 4 is reversed, the

wheel 10 being held against a reverse rotationby means of the pawl 16, it is evident the teeth of the clutch '5 ride on the inclined sides of the teeth of the sleeve 9 and cause the said clutch 5 and the shaft 4 to move longitudinally tothe position indicated Fig; 4 of the drawings. Simultaneously, the male threads 6, will engage the female threads 7 of the hub 3 sovthat a continued rotation oi the shaft 4 wi'l'lcfause the teeth on the elutchi to be entirely dis; ng ed r -m t e t h o the eli t'h sleeve 9and also cause the collar Ste engage the sleeve 9 and force the hubofthe wheel 10, f 2

within which the sleeve 9 is rigidlysecured, against the stat onary hub 3. in this man'- ner I have provided a friction brake which may be automatically brought into action by rotat ng the shaft4 in a reverse d1rection. 3

of assisting the longitudinal movement of the shaft 4 when it is desired to apply the The spring :14 provided for the purpose friction brake and to insure the engagement of thethreads 6- with the threads 7 during a reverse rotation of the-shaft 1 V The driving shaft 4 having been released from a direct connection with the wheel 10 andplaced. in a position where it may apply pressure orfriction thereto, the descent may be accomplished by pulling upward onthe cord 17 which will cause the pawl 161m be disengaged from the teeth 15 of the wheel 10. Asthe wheel 10 rotates in a reverse direction, the device is lowered and the speed thereof controlled in direct proportion to. Y the amount of friction applied to the wheel a 10 by the back pressure of the pedals 22.. i As the. length of the crank 20 is twice as great as the radius of the wheel 1 0it is evi- I dent that for every pound of pressure applied to the pedal 22 o=n the end oi the said crank, two pounds of energy will be exerted on the rope on the tread of the said wheel 10, Similarly, as the hub of thefwheel 1O is frictionally held between the stationary hub/'3 and the now stationary collar' S of it 10o beapplied to prevent the too rapid'idescent the drive shaft 4, considerable friction may of the device, by standing on one or the pedals, the weight of the operator producing a friction resist ng the descent of the device that is equal totwice his weight.

It is obvious from the foregoing that by pedaling in a forward direction the shaft 4 will be released from the threads 7 and will engage the clutch sleeve 9, and cause the wheel 10 to rotate and climb the rope 23, the pawl 16 being adapted to prevent the reversing of the said wheel 10. It is also obvious that by reversing the rotation of the drive shaft 4, the clutch 5 thereon will be disengaged from the clutch 9 of the wheel 10 and will cause, by means of the spring 14 and the inclination of the teeth of the clutch sleeve 9, threads 6' on thel clutch 5. .to engage the threads 7 of the hub I3, and the collar 8 to frictionally engage the hub bf the said wheel 10 between the said collar 8 and the hub 3 of the stationary member 2,

r th harn s f. con r he'des to the elevator. l

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and. desire to seen-re by Let;

'ters Patent is:-

" A i t eremws e a r mr ega tubular member an open frame portion se- .1

tably mounted within the open frame portion; a suitable rope within the tubular member and arranged to engage the circumference of the wheel; means arranged to engage the wheel and rotate the same in a forward direction and to control the rotation of the said wheel in a reverse direction.

2. A foot operated elevator comprising a tubular member; an open frame portion of vertically disposed parallel members having suitable hubs therein and secured to the tubular member; a driving shaft rotatably mounted within the hubs; a wheel rotatably mounted upon the driving shaft; a suitable rope inserted through the tubular member and arranged to engage the circumference of the wheel; the said driving shaft being arranged to engage the wheel and rotate the same when rotated in a forward direction, and to release from connection with the said wheel and to frictionally engage the same when the said shaft is rotated in a reverse direction.

3. A foot operated elevator comprising a tubular member having one or more seats secured thereto; an open frame portion formed of vertically disposed members having recessed hubs integral therewith, one of the said hubs having a female thread therein; a driving shaft rotatably mounted within the recessed bearings and having an annular collar near one end and a threaded clutch member near the other end thereof, the said threads on the clutch member being arranged to engage the female threads of the hub and move the said driving shaft longitudinally; a wheel having a clutch sleeve rigidly secured within the hub thereof rotatably mounted upon the driving shaft between the collar and the clutch member thereon, the said clutch member on the driving shaft being arranged to engage the clutch member on the wheel and rotate the same when the said driving shaft is rotated in a forward direction and to release the said clutch and frictionally engage the said wheel against rotation when the driving shaft is rotated in a reverse direction; and

a suitable rope inserted through the tubular member and arranged to engage the circumference of the wheel. 7

i. A foot operated elevator comprising a tubular member; one or more seats secured to the tubular member; an open frame portion formed of vertically disposed parallel members having recessed hubs integral therewith, one of the hubs having a quadruple female thread therein; a driving shaft rotatably mounted within the recessed hubs and having an annular collar near one end and a clutch member having quadruple male threads arranged to engage the female threads of the hub secured near the other end thereof; a wheel having ratchet teeth near the rim thereof and a clutch sleeve rigidly secured within the hub thereof, the said wheel being rotatably mounted between the annular collar and the clutch member on the driving shaft; a suitable rope inserted within the tubular member and arranged to engage the circumference of the wheel; a pawl pivotally secured to the frame portion and arranged to engage the teeth on the wheel and prevent the rotation thereof in a reverse direction; means for disengaging the pawl; the said driving shaft being arranged to cause the clutch thereon to engage the clutch on the wheel and to rotate the said wheel when the said drivin shaft is rotated in a forward direction, an to disengage the clutch on the driving shaft from the clutch on the wheel and to frictionally engage the wheel between the annular collar on the driving shaft and one of the hubs of the frame portion for the purpose of controlling the rotation of the wheel when the driving shaft is rotated in the reverse direction.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RICHARD LABORDA.

Witnesses KARL F. SCHULTZ, JAMES F. MCCUE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. O. 

